While you’re pregnant
Once you tell your employer you’re pregnant, two things kick in straight away:
- Paid time off for antenatal care — reasonable time off at your normal pay, including travel and waiting time, from day one of the job. It’s not just medical appointments — it can include classes your midwife or doctor recommends.
- A health & safety risk assessment — your employer must check your role for risks to you or your baby. If risks can’t be removed, they should adjust your hours or conditions, offer suitable alternative work on the same pay, or — last resort — suspend you on full pay.
Tell them in writing
Telling your employer in writing is what triggers your protections — the risk assessment and the 18-month redundancy protection both start from the date they know you’re pregnant. Keep a copy. Partners can also take unpaid time off for up to 2 antenatal appointments.
Protected from discrimination & dismissal
Pregnancy and maternity is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. You can’t be treated worse because you’re pregnant, have a pregnancy-related illness, or are taking or planning maternity leave. That covers pay, promotion, training, shifts and treatment.
Sacked for being pregnant = automatically unfair
Dismissing you because you’re pregnant or on maternity leave is
automatically unfair — with
no qualifying period, so you’re protected from day one (you don’t need 2 years’ service). It would also be discrimination. See
unfair dismissal.
Redundancy? You go to the front of the queue
If a genuine redundancy situation arises, you have extra protection. From the moment you tell your employer you’re pregnant and for 18 months from your child’s birth:
- Your employer must offer you any suitable alternative vacancy that exists — ahead of other staff being considered for it.
- A redundancy can’t be used as a cover to remove you because you’re pregnant or on leave — that’s discrimination and automatically unfair.
The 18-month window
This enhanced protection (extended in 2024) runs from when you notify your pregnancy through to 18 months after the birth — so it covers you well after you’ve returned from leave, not just while you’re off.
Your right to return
You can take up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave (a day-one right), and you have a right to return:
| How much leave you take | You return to |
|---|
| 26 weeks or less (Ordinary Maternity Leave) | The same job, on the same terms. |
| More than 26 weeks (up to 52) | The same job — or, if that’s genuinely not reasonably practicable, a suitable similar job on terms no worse. |
Do this now
Put your pregnancy notification in writing to your employer and keep a copy — it starts your protections. Take your paid antenatal time off, and ask for your risk assessment if you haven’t had one.
If you’re being treated unfairly, pushed out, or refused your rights, get free help from ACAS on 0300 123 1100, the Maternity Action advice line, or Citizens Advice. Sort the money side with maternity pay and family support.